The
Bureau of Monster Affairs is the governmental organization in charge of
regulating monster hunting in the United States. One of its most
important duties is designating what creatures qualify as “monsters,” so
that hunters don’t kill the wrong things. In the early days of the
organization, the BMA did this by maintaining the Official Monster List
(OML), which designated which creatures were considered monsters.

As
the bureau (and the profession of monster hunting) grew and researchers
learned more about monstrous creatures, it quickly became obvious that
the “monster/not monster” dichotomy didn’t work in all cases and new
classifications were added. Although the term “Official Monster List”
technically refers only to the list of creatures designated monsters,
most hunters use it to refer to the BMA’s overall classifications of unusual creatures. The BMA currently uses eight classification categories: Afflicted PersonAfflicted
humans are normal people (including Peaceful Sentients) suffering from a
curse or unnatural disease or who are victims of mind control,
possession, or some other unnatural influence. Examples include
werewolves, victims of demonic possession, and traditional (ie,
non-undead) zombis.
The method of dealing with these creatures varies according to the
nature of the affliction, but the general rule is to attempt to deal
with the affliction in a way that does not bring harm to victim. The
only exception is if the person poses a threat to human life, in which
case hunters may use reasonable force to protect themselves or others. CryptidCryptids
are creatures that have been reported but whose existence has never
been confirmed. Examples include sasquatches and many lake monsters.
Whether or not a cryptid is considered a monster depends on its actions
in each particular case. If it has not caused any real damage (other
than perhaps scaring the locals), hunters should document the creature
and its location for future research, but should not attempt to harm or
capture the cryptid unless threatened. A cryptid that has caused harm to
people or serious damage to property may be treated as a monster, but
hunters are encouraged to capture the creature alive if it can be done
relatively safely. The
likelihood of a cryptid’s existence is measured on The Fields Scale,
which goes from 1 (extremely unlikely) to 10 (extremely likely).
Creatures with a Fields Number of 1 tend to be either legendary
creatures that have not been encountered in modern times or creatures
who are the subject of a handful of reports from mostly unreliable
witnesses. A Fields Number of 10 means that the creature’s existence is
backed up by numerous reliable reports and some physical evidence, but
that its existence has not been irrefutably proven. Innocuous HauntingThis
category is for ghostly manifestations that don’t cause any physical,
psychological, or property damage to the people who encounter them.
Monster hunters are under no obligation to help get rid of these
creatures, but are free to do so as long as there are no objections from
the locals--some communities and property owners want to keep their
ghosts. MonsterMonsters
are creatures that pose a threat to human life or property. They
include both non-intelligent beasts who prey on humans (such as the
living dead) and sentient creatures who are malevolent by nature
(demons, for example). Anything classified as a monster should be
considered dangerous and eliminated in the most expedient way possible
unless it is of a type that requires further study of live specimens, in
which case capture is an option if it can be accomplished without undue
danger to monster hunters or civilians. Non-Violent CreatureThis
classification is for non-intelligent creatures (or those exhibiting an
intelligence so alien that humans cannot meaningfully communicate with
them) who do not normally pose a threat to human life or property. The
most well-known example of this type of creature is the unicorn. As far
as monster hunters are concerned, non-violent creatures should only be
killed if there is evidence to support that they have attacked someone
or if they pose an immediate threat. If they are merely being a
nuisance, capture or relocation is preferred. Some
creatures with this classification fall under the jurisdiction of
federal or local Fish and Wildlife Services, either as protected species
or as species whose hunting is regulated, and hunters who illegally
kill such creatures without reasonable cause may be subject to fines or
prosecution. Peaceful SentientThe
United States government legally defines sentience as a combination of
advanced intelligence, meaningful ability to communicate with humans,
and the ability to make decisions that place the good of society above
the natural instincts and urges of the individual. Examples of peaceful
sentients include Martians, Frogmen, and werewolves in human form. In
the U.S., peaceful sentients have the same rights as human beings. In
terms of monster hunting, that means that they are governed by the same
use of force and due process guidelines as humans. The
“decision-making ability” part of the sentience definition is perhaps
the most important in differentiating peaceful sentients from sentient
monsters. Demons, for example, exhibit intelligence and can even
function in society to some extent, but ultimately they are slaves to
their own evil nature; any seemingly selfless act that a demon performs
is ultimately done to further its own goals. It should be noted that
just because a creature has the capacity to put society’s good above his
own does not necessarily mean that he will do so. If that were the
case, many humans would not fit into this classification.UnclassifiedCreatures
in this category have been confirmed to exist, but the BMA does not
have enough reliable information to officially classify them. As a
general rule, unclassified creatures are governed by the same guidelines
as cryptids. Unknown CreatureOccasionally
monster hunters encounter something that doesn’t fit the description of
any known (or even reported) creature. When this happens, the hunters
should do whatever is necessary to defend themselves and others, but
should not actively hunt the creature until they have contacted the
Bureau of Monster Affairs. The BMA (possibly in consultation with other
agencies) will then issue instructions about how the creature is to be
handled based on the available information.